OpenAI says it may archive chats and associated screenshots from customers using Operator, the company’s AI “agent” tool, for up to 90 days, even after a user manually deletes them.
OpenAI has a similar deleted data retention policy for ChatGPT, its AI-powered chatbot platform. However, ChatGPT’s retention period is only 30 days, which is 60 days less than that of the Operator.
OpenAI says its data retention policies for the Operator are designed to combat abuse. “Because agents are a relatively new technology, we wanted to ensure our teams had time to better understand and examine potential vectors of abuse,” an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch. “This retention period allows us to improve fraud monitoring and ensure the product remains safe from misuse, while giving users control over their data.”
OpenAI announced Operator on Thursday and released it in a search preview for subscribers to the company’s $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan. The operator is a generic AI agent with a built-in browser that can independently perform certain actions on websites.
OpenAI says the Operator can automate tasks such as booking travel accommodations, restaurant reservations, and online shopping. There are several business categories that users can choose from within the Operator interface, including shopping, delivery, dining, and travel.
The operator takes screenshots of the integrated browser to help him understand how and when to perform actions in apps, such as when to use buttons and which forms to complete. To be clear, Operator doesn’t take screenshots when it “locks out,” like when the tool needs a password. OpenAI calls this mode “taking control.”
However, some users may be wary of volunteering screenshots of their online activities to a company that may retain them for longer than three months. OpenAI notes that, as with ChatGPT, operator data may be accessed by “a limited number of authorized OpenAI personnel” and “trusted service providers” for purposes such as investigating abuse and handling legal matters.
